2011-03BILL NO. 2011-3
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS;
ESTABLISHING A DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRY;
AMENDING CHAPTER 1OF THE RICHFIELD CITY CODE
THE CITY OF RICHFIELD DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of the Richfield City Code is amended by adding a section
to read as follows:
Section 120: Domestic Partnerships
120.01 Purpose.
The City of Richfield authorizes and establishes a voluntary program of
registration of domestic partners. The domestic partnership registry is a means
by which unmarried, committed couples who reside or work in Richfield and who
share a life and home together may document their relationship.
Richfield's domestic partnership ordinance is a City ordinance and does not
create rights, privileges, or responsibilities that are available to married couples
under state or federal law. The City of Richfield cannot provide legal advice
concerning domestic partnerships. Applicants and registrants may wish to
consult with an attorney for such advice including, but not limited to: wills,
medical matters, finances and powers of attorney, children and dependents,
medical, health care and employment benefits.
120.03 Definitions. Subdivision 1. The following words and phrases used in this
Code have the meanings given in this section.
Subd. 2. Domestic Partner. The term "domestic partner" means any two
adults who meet all the following:
a. Are not related by blood closer than permitted under marriage laws
of the state.
b. Are not married under the laws of this state.
c. Are competent to enter into a contract.
d. .Are jointly responsible to each other for the necessities of life..
e. Are committed to one another to the same extent as married
persons are to each other, except for the traditional marital status
and solemnities.
f. Do not have any other domestic partner(s):
g. Are both at least 18 years of age.
h. At least one of whom resides in Richfield or is employed in
Richfield.
Subd. 3. Domestic Partnership. The term "domestic partnership" shall
include, upon production of valid, government-issued documentation, in addition
to domestic partnerships registered with the City of Richfield, and regardless of
whether partners in either circumstance have sought further registration with the
City of Richfield:
a. Any persons who have acurrently-registered domestic partnership with
a governmental body pursuant to state, local or other law authorizing
such registration. The term domestic partnership shall be construed
liberally to include unions, regardless of title, in which two individuals
are committed to one another as married persons are traditionally
committed, except for the traditional marital status and solemnities.
b. Marriages that would be legally recognized as a contract of lawful
marriage in another local, state or foreign jurisdiction, but for the
operation of Minnesota law.
120.05 Registration of Domestic Partnerships. Subdivision.1. Application. The
city clerk shall accept an application in a form provided by the City to register
domestic partners who state in such application that they meet the definition of
domestic partners.
Subd. 2: Application fee. The city clerk shall charge an application fee
for the registration of domestic partners and shall charge a fee for providing
certified copies of registrations, amendments, or notices of termination. The
fees required by this subsection shall be established from time to time by
resolution of the City Council and set forth in Appendix D to this code.
Subd. 3. Certificate. The city clerk shall provide each domestic partner
with a registration certificate. The registration certificate shall not be issued prior
to the third working day after the date of the application. ,
Subd. 4. This application and certificate may be used as evidence of the
existence of a domestic partner relationship.
Subd. 5. Records. The city clerk shall keep a record of all registrations of
domestic partnership, amendments fo registrations and notices of termination.
The records shall be maintained so that amendments and notices of termination
are filed with the registration of domestic partnership to which~they pertain.
Subd. 6. Data. The application and amendments thereto, the registration.
certificate, and termination notices shall constitute government data and will be
subject to disclosure pursuant to the terms of the Minnesota Government Data
Practices Act.
120.07 Amendments. The city clerk may accept amendments for filing from
persons who have domestic partnership registrations on file, except amendments
that would replace one of the registered partners with another individual.
120.09 Termination of Domestic Partnership. Domestic partnership registration
terminates when the earliest of the following occurs:
a. One of the partners dies; or
b. Forty-five days after one partner: 1) sends the other partner written
notice, on a form provided by the City, that he or she is terminating
the partnership; and 2) files the notice of termination and an
affidavit of service of the notice on the other partner with the city
clerk.
120.11 Benefits. Subdivision 1. This section does not create any rights,
privileges, or responsibilities for domestic partners other than those expressly
provided in this section.
Subd. 2. City Fees for Services. If the City offers a family fee, family
membership or family registration for any City-provided program or service,
domestic partners are entitled~Q~he_ same family~e~,_family membership or
family registration.
Subd. 3. Other code provisions. Domestic partners shall be entitled to
rights or benefits as expressly provided by this code for registered domestic
partners.
Sec. 2. This Ordinance is effective in accordance with Section 3.09 of the
Richfield City Charter.
Passed by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota this 8th day of
February, 2011.
ebbie Goettel, Mayor
ATTEST:
Nancy Gibb ity Clerk
City of Richfield
(Official Publication)
RESOLUTION NO.10479
RESOLUTION APPROVING
~~ '-' ~ SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF BILL
lie~spape~'S WHEREAS, the City has adopted the
above referenced ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the verbatim tent of the or-
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION dinance is cumbersome, and the ex-
pense ofpublication ofthe complete text
is notjustlfied;and
STATE OF MINNESOTA )
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Richard Hendrickson, being duly sworn on NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
by the city Council of the Ctty of Rlch-
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an oath, states or affirms that he is the Chief ng summary
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SUMMARY PUBLICATION
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Richfield Sun-Current BILL N0.2011-3
AN ORDINANCE RELATIN4 TO CIVIL
RIGHTS; ESTABISHING A DOMESTIC
PARTNER REGISTRY; AMENDIN4
and has full knowledge of the facts stated CHAPTER 1 OFTHE RICHFIELD CITY
beIOW: CODE
A The news a er has com lied with all of
( ) p p p on February 8, 2011, the Richfield City.
Council adopted an ordinance designat-
the regUlrementS COnSfltUfing qual'rflCa- ed as Bill No. 2011-3, the idtie of which
lion as a qualified newspaper as provid- dina~nt~ i bapubii nod "ppursu nt io sec-
ld Ci
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ed by Minn. Slat. §331A.02, §331A.07, ar
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lion 3.12 of the R
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and other applicable laws as amended. The ordinance egtablianes a voluntary
program by which unmarried, commit-
(B)The printed public notice that is attached led couples who reside or work in Rich-
was published in said newspaper(s) fleid may register as domestc partners.
The ordinance establishes criteria and
once each week, for One SUCCBSSIVe procedures for couples to register or to
Week(s); It Was first published on Thurs- terminate their registration. The ordi-
day, the 17 day of February nance does not create any rights, privi-
loges or responsibilities for domestic
and was thereafter printed and
2011 t that domestic partners
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published on every Thursday to and in- f
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snips/reglst anon offered by e~y citryry
Copies of the ordf-
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cluding Thursday, the day of .
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nonce are available for public Inspection
, 2011; and rinted
p in the office of the City Clerk during nor-
belOW IS a Copy Of the IOWer Case alpha- mal business hours or upon request by
bet from A to Z, both inclusive, which is calling 612-861-9738.
hereby acknowledged as being the size Nancy Gibbs, city clerk
and kirid of a used in the com OSItIOn
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City for a period of two weeks.
Adopted by the City Council of the City
of Richfield, Minnesota this 8th day of
~'.= February, 2011.
~~i Debbie Goettel, Mayor
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BY: ATTEST:
ancy Gibba, City Clerk
CFO (Feb 17, 2011) D2 Resolution# 10479
Subscribed and sworn to or affirmed
before me on this 17 day of
February , 2011.
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Notary Public
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~ DIANE L ELIASON
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Expires .l:m
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